Hydraulic pump or motor



' H. E. NICKIBBEN EjrAL HYDRAULIC PUMP OR MOTOR Sept. 25, 1951 Filed March 3l, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 25, 1951 H. E. MCKIBBEN ET AL v 2,569,185v

' HYDRAULIC PUMP 0R MOTOR Filed March 31, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 25, v1951 HYDRAULIC PUMP R MOTOR Horace E. McKibben, Grand Junction, and Benjamin I. Newton, South Haven, Mich., assignors t0 Hydro-Cam Drives Rapids, Mich.

Corporation, Grand Application March 31, 1948, Serial No. 18,158

(Cl. S-136) 14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hydraulic pumps and motors.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a hydraulic mechanism which can be used either as a pump or motor and which is particularly eflicient and adapted for operation under high uid pressures. Y

Second, to provide a hydraulic pump or motor of the rotary type in which the rotor is balanced relative to the casing and in which the vanes are positively moved into engagement with the periphery of the fluid chamber by rotation of the rotor.

Third, to provide a hydraulic pump or motor in which a plurality of rocket arms carried by the rotor are arranged to force the vanes of the rotor into operative position, "receding motion of one vane acting through a rocker arm to extend another'vane.

Fourth, to provide a hydraulic pump or motor having a rotor with lever actuated vanes so arranged that each vane is positively held in operating position during the entire working portion of its rotational cycle.

Fifth, to provide a rotor for a hydraulic pump or motor with pivotally mounted rocker arms for actuating the vanes of the rotor and to provide a support for said rocker arms which will automatically compensate for wear in the vanes or minor inaccuracies in the machining of the parts of the motor.

Other objects and advantages relating to the details of our invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims.

'I'he drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a preferred form of our pump or motor.

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line I-I in Fig. 2 and transversely of the axis of the pump or motor.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 and in the plane of the axis of the motor.

A Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the body of the pump or motor partially broken away in cross section along the plane of the broken line 3 3 in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating the shape of the fluid passages in the motor block.

c Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the motor partially broken away along the plane of the line 4--4 in Fig. 1 and with the rotor removed to illustrate the relative positions of the inlet and outlet ports at the rear of the block.

I-Our device is adapted to be use@ either as a 2 .A pump or as a motor depending uponV whether energy is supplied to the device in the form of a prime mover connected to the shaft or in the form of fluid under pressure supplied to the work-Y ing chambers of the device. For convenience in description the device will be referred to as a motor.

The motor consists of a generally cylindrioa block I having parallel faces 2 and defining a central rotor chamber 3 open to both of the faces 2. 'I'he rotor chamber is closed by a front face plate 4 and a rear face plate 5 secured to the body by the cap screws 6.

The rotor chamber 3 is machined to provide opposed divider surfaces 1 and 8 which arelocated along a cylindrical surface centered at 9; On each side of the divider surfaces 'I and 8 the surface of the rotor chamber is extended from the center 9, as at I0, and merged with the opposite cylindrical surfaces II which are also centered on the center 9 but at a greater radius than the1 dividerv surfaces 1 and 8. The surfaces I I formV the working surfaces of the motor and the connecting surfaces I0 define the ports to the working chambers and will be described in detail presently.

The rotor chamber 3 rotatively receives the cylindrical rotor I 2 which is accurately machined to t snugly within the divider surfaces 'I and 8 and against the face plates 4 and 5. The rotor I2 is open on its rear side to the rear face plate 5 and is provided on its forward side with a disklike body I3 connecting the periphery of the rotor to a hub I4. The hub I4 is received on -the shaft I5 and keyed thereto, as at I6. The hub and shaft extend into the shaft housing I1 'extending from the front side of the front face plate ,4. Suitable bearings and packing (not illustrated) may be provided around the front end of the shaft and Within the shaft housing I'I.

The rear end of the shaft I5 is rotatably re-k ceived in the roller bearing I8 mounted in a hole in the center of the rear face plate 5. A cover plate I9 secures the roller bearing in position.

The interior of the rotor I2 is provided with a series of five segmental arcuate recesses 2G, which are illustrated in Fig. 1. Equally spaced between the arcuate recesses 20 the cylindrical portion of E the rotor I2 defines five radial slots 2| slidably receiving the vanes 22. The base of each recess 20 defines a tapped aperture 23 (see Fig. 2) receiving the threaded end of a cap screw 24 having a smooth ycylindrical shank 25 projecting into the recess 20. Rockably mounted on the shanks 25 v are a series of rockers 26 having oppositely extending arms 21. The arms of each rocker are transversely offset so that the arms of adjacent rockers will overlap, as at 28, behind the inner ends of the vanes 22.

With particular attention to Fig. 1 it will be noted that as each vane 22 approaches one of the converging surfaces I0, that vane will be forced inwardly` of the rotor and will bear against the arm of the rocker positioned ahead of that vane relative to the rotation of the rotor. The other arm of the rocker will press outwardly against the inner edge of the next preceding vane and force that vane outwardly along the diverging surface I following either of the divider surfaces 1 and 8. Each vane is therefore positively7 forced into working engagement with the Working surfaces ll of the fluid chamber.

It should further be noted that the working surfaces Il are so proportioned angularly with respect to the divider surfaces 1 and 8 and the converging and diverging surfaces I0 that each vane is continuously held against the working surfaces Il either by reason of the preceding vane and rocker arm being engaged by one of the divider surfaces or by the following vane and rocker being engaged by the other divider surface. It is thus impossible for fluid in the working chamber to work behind the edge of the vanes and drive them into the rotor regardless of how great the pressure of the iiuid may be.

In order to compensate for wear in the edges of the vanes or for minor inaccuracies in form, ing the surfaces of the working lchamber the rockers 26 are -provided with slightly oblong or over-size holes, as indicated at 29, for reception of the screws 24. Y'I'he inner surfaces of the rockers 26 are provided with'centering bosses 30 and coil springs 3| are positioned around the bosses to urge the rockers outwardly against the screws 24. The inner ends -of the springs 3| are secured Varound the centering bosses l32 on a ring `33 -keyed to thershaft l5 so as to rotate with the rotor I2.

Attention is now directed to the manifolding or method of conducting the hydraulic iiuid through the body of the motor to the rotor chamber 3. Theblock l of Vthe motor 4is provided with a thickened boss 34 along one .edge thereof which boss defines an .in-let chamber 35 and an outlet chamber 36 opening to the face of the boss. The chambers-35 and 36 are suitably tapped or other-wise `arranged to receive an inlet pipe .31 and an outlet pipe 38. Considering the motor as illustrated in Fig. 1, the top and bottom portions of -the body yI define vannular fluid conducting by-pass chambers .39 opening .directly to the inlet and outlet'chambers. The inner walls y40 of these .chambers `form the working -surfaces -I Iv of `the -upper and lower working chambers of the pump.

`At the opposite edge `of Athe motor block vfrom the inlet chamber 35 and outlet chamber 35, the bypass Achambers v39 .merg-e .into lcross-over chambers 4| so that the upper by-pass -chamber com.- municates with the inlet por.t42 in the :connecting surface I0 of the lower working chamber. The lower by-pass chamber 39 communicates through the upper cross-over chamber 4I with the outlet port 43 of the upper working chamber. The cross-over chambers in the block `are formed by the use-of suitablecores while casting the motor block so as to form a partitioned wall 44 which extends transversely .to .the ,axis of the shaft l between the ports 42 and '43 and 'twists in a spiral fashion to merge with the walls '40 which form the inner surfaces of the by-pass chambers.

It will thus be seen that uid entering the inlet pipe 31 and chamber 35 will divide between the upper by-pass chamber and the upper working chamber. Fluid leaving the upper working chamber will pass through the lower by-pass chamber to the outlet chamber 36 while fluid from the upper by-pass chamber will be directed to the lower working chamber. By properly loeating the leading edge of the upper partition wall 40 this division of the fluid can be made to be equal and the forces exerted by the fluid onthe rotor or the rotor on the fluid will be balanced with respect to the axis of the rotor.

Particular attention is directed to Fig. 1 and the outlet ports 43, where it will be noted that ing surfaces l0 without interference from the iiuid pressure in the motor.

We have found that our motor will operatel efficiently and without excessive friction when operated under high pressure and is, therefore, particularly well adapted for use as a fluid power conversion unit either as a pump or motor. We have described a highly practical commercial embodiment of our device so that others may reproduce the same with such minor modifications as are desired without further disclosure.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pate ent is:

1. A fluid operated power conversion device comprising, a block having parallel end faces and defining a rotor chamber open to said faces, opposed arcuate working faces in said chamber, opposed arcuate divider surfaces between said work ing faces and having shorter radii than said working faces, connecting Surfaces between the ends of said working and divider faces, paired inlet and outlet ports formed in the connecting sur.- faces at the ends of 4each working face, fluid conducting ychambers formed in said block outwardly .of .each of said working faces, said block Ydefining an inlet chamber opening to one of said fluid conducting chambers and one of said inlet ports,.said block defining an outlet chamber opening to the other of said fluid conducting cham-- bers and one of said outlet ports, cross over chambers in said block at the opposite Aedge thereof from said inlet and outlet chambers and connecting said one fluid conducting chamber with the other of said inlet ports and connecting the other of said outlet .ports with said other -uid conducting chamber, a hollow rotor having one open end and rotatable in said rotor chamber and against said divider faces, end plates for said block bearing against said rotor, a shaft for said rotor journaled in said end plates, ve equally spaced recesses in the inner wall of said rotor, said rotor dening radial slots between said re cesses, vanes slidable in said slots, rockers pivotally supported in said recesses and having oppositely extending rigidly connected arms engageable with the inner edges of the vanes on .each side of each rocker, said rockers having a radially movable connection to said rotor at their pivots, and springs bearing between said rockers and said shaft to .urge said rockers outwardly, said outlet scales? portscommencing in the rear edge of `said work# ing faces relative to the motion of [said vanes"L whereby the pressure on each `vane is relieved j prior to the vane being retracted into the rotor Y by engagement with a connecting surface.

2. A fluid operated power conversion device@ comprising, a block having parallel end faces and having `balanced working chambers with inlet and outlet passages opening thereto, a rotor" arranged to rotate between said chambers,y

, divider surfaces engageable with said rotor bedeilning a rotor chamber open to lsaid faces,

opposed arcuate working faces in said chamber, opposed arcuate divider surfaces between lsaid working faces and having shorter radii than said working faces, connecting surfaces between the ends of said working and dividing faces, paired inletand outlet ports formed in the connecting surfaces at the ends of each working face, fluid conducting chambers formed in said block outwardly of each of saidv working faces, saidblock Y' defining an inlet chamberopening'to one of said fluid conducting chambers and oneV of Vsaid inlet ports, said block defining an outlet chamber opening to the other of said fluid conducting4 chambers and one of said outlet ports, cross over Y chambers in said block at the opposite edge thereof from said inlet and outlet chambers'and connecting said one fluid conducting chamber with the other of said inlet ports and connect ing the other of said outlet ports with said other fluid conducting chamber, a hollow rotor rotate' able in said rotor chamber and against said divider faces, end plates for said block bearing against said rotor, a shaftfor said rotor journaled in said end plates, equally spaced recesses in the inner wall of said rotor, said rotor defin- Ving radial slots between said recesses, vanes slidposed arcuate working faces in said chamber,l

tween said working chambers, eccentric surfaces connecting the walls of said working chambers with said divider surfaces, said inlet and outlet passages opening through said eccentric surfaces, T

vanes radially slidable in said rotor and adapted to engage said divider surfaces and eccentric surfaces and the surfaces of said working chambers, rockers pivotally mounted within said rotor, one between each two adjacent vanes, oppositely `extending rigidly connected arms on said rockers engageable with the inner edges of the vanes on each side of each rocker, the pivotal axes of said rockers being movable radially with respect to said rotor, and spring means urging said rockers radially outwardly of said rotor, the leading edges of said outlet passages being extended into the trailing edges of the walls of said working chambers relative to the rotation of said rotor.

5. In a fluid operated power conversion device having balanced working chambers with inlet and outlet passages opening thereto, a rotor arranged to'rotate between said chambers, divider surfaces engageable with said rotor between said working chambers, eccentric surfaces connecting the walls of said working chambers with said divider surfaces, vanes radially slidableA in said rotor and adapted to engage said divider surfaces and eccentric surfaces and the surfaces of said working chambers, rockers pivotally mounted within said rotor, one between each two adjacent opposed arcuate divider surfaces between said.,

working faces and. having shorter radii than said working faces, connecting surfaces between the ends of said working and dividing faces, paired inlet and outlet ports formed in the connecting surfaces at the ends of each working face, fluid conducting chambers formed in said block outwardly of each of said working faces, said block defining an inlet chamber opening to one of said fluid conducting chambers and one of said inlet ports, said block defining an outlet chamber open ing to the other of said fluid conducting chambers and one of said outletr ports, cross over chambers in said block at the opposite edge thereof from said inlet and outlet chambers and connecting said one fluid conducting chamber with the other of said inlet ports and connecting the other of said outlet ports with said other fluid conducting chamber, a hollow rotor rotatable in saidgrotor chamber and against said divider faces, end plates for said block bearing against said rotor, a shaft for said rotor journaled in said end plates, 'said rotor defining radial slots spaced therearound, vanes slidable in said slots, and rockers pivotally supported in said rotor in each space between said vanes and having oppositely extending rigidly connected arms engageable with the inner edges of the vanes on each side of each rocker.

4. In a fluid operated power conversion device vanes, oppositely extending rigidly connected arms on said rockers engageable with the inner edges of the vanes on each side of each rocker, the pivotal axes of said rockers being movable radially with respect to said rotor, and spring means urging said rockers radially outwardly of said rotor, said working chambers being so proportioned relative to said divider surfaces and said eccentric surfaces that each successive vane is continually held in extended position in saidworking chambers by reason of other vanes engaging said rockers and said divider surfaces. 6. In a fluid operated power conversion device having balanced working chambers with inlet and4 outlet passages opening thereto, a rotor arranged'to rotate between said chambers, divider surfaces engageable with said rotor between said working chambers, eccentric surfaces connecting Y the walls of said working chambers with said divider surfaces, vanes radially slidable in said rotor and adapted to engage said divider surfaces and eccentric surfaces and the surfaces of said working chambers, rockers pivotally mounted` within said rotor, vone between each two adjacent vanes,` and oppositely extending rigidly connected arms von said rockers engageable with the inner edges of the vanes on each side of each rocker,

said working chambers being so proportioned relative to said divider surfaces and said ec'-' centric surfaces that each successive vane is continually 'held in extended position in said to rotate between said chambers, divider surfaces engageable with said rotor between said working chambers, eccentric surfaces connecting the walls of said working chambers with said divider surfaces, vanes radially slidable in said rotor and adapted engage' said divider surfaces. and, ecn.-

centric surfaces andthe surfacesY ofsaid working chambers, rockers pivotally mounted withinl said rotor, one between each two adjacent vanes, oppositely extending. rigidly connected arms on said rockers engageable with the inner edges o i"i the vanes on each side of each rocker., the pivotal axes. of said rockers being movable radially, with respect to said rotor, andy spring meansy urging said rockers radially outwardly of said rotor.l

8. In a fluid operated power conversion device having balanced working chambers with inlet and outlet passages opening thereto, a rotor arranged to rotate between said chambers, divider surfaces engageable with said rotor between said working chambers, eccentric surfaces connecting the. walls of said working chambers with said divider surfaces, vanes radially slidable in said rotorand adapted to engage said divider surfaces and eccentric surfaces and the surfaces of said working. chambers, rockers pivotally mounted within said rotor, one between each two adjacent vanes, and oppositely extending rigidly connected arms on said rockers engageable with the inner edgesof the vanes on each side of each rocker.

9. In combination with a fluid operated power conversion device including a block having balanced working chambers, a hollow rotor having one open end and being rotatable between said chambers, ve equally spaced vanes carried by said rotor and movable successively through said chambers, segmental recesses in the inside of said rotor between each two adjacent vanes, a pin positioned in each. recess and parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, rockerspivotally carried by said pins and each having rigidly connectedoppositely extending armsengageable with thev inner edges of the vanes adjacent to each rocker, said vanes and rockers being arranged relative to said rotor so that retraction of one` vane will operate through one of said rockers to extend another vane, said rockers being radially movable relative to said pins, and springs urging said'rockers outwardly relative to. said pins, the arms on each rocker being offset longitudinally of said rotor whereby the meeting arms of adjacent rockers will overlap.

10. In combination with a fluid operated power conversion device including a block having bal-f anced working chambers, a hollow rotor having one open end and being rotatable between said chambers, equally spaced vanes carried by said rotor and movable successively through saidl chambers, segmental recesses in the inside of said rotor between each two adjacent vanes, aV pin positioned in each recess and parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, rockers pivotally carried by said pins and having rigidly connected oppositely extending armsv engageable with the inner edges of the vanes adjacent to each rocker,

said vanes and rockers being arranged relative to said rotor so that retraction of one vane will operate through one of said rockers to extend another vane, said rockers being radially movable relative to said pins, and springs urging. said rockers outwardly relative to said pins.

l1. In combination with a iiuid operated power conversion device including a block having bal; anced working chambers, a rotor rotatable be-v tween said chambers, vanes carried by said roto;`

andl movable successively through said chambers, rochers pivotally carried by said rotor between eachtwo adjacent vanes and having rigidly con# nected oppositely. extending arms engageable with the inner edges of the vanes adjacent to each'rocler, said vanes and rockers being arranged relative to said rotor so that retraction of one vane will operatev through one of said rockers to extend another vane, said rockers be-A ing radially movable relative to said rotor, and springs urging said rockers outwardly.

12. In combination with a iluid operated power conversiondevice including a block having working chambers, av rotor rotatable between saidchambers, vanes carried by said rotor and` movable successively through said chambers, and rockers pivotally carried by said rotor between each two adjacent vanes and having rigidly connected oppositely extending arms engageable with the inner edges of the vanes adjacent to each rocker, said vanes and rockers being arranged relative to saidrotor so that retraction of one vane will operate through one of said rockers toextend another vane.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a block having inlet and outlet passages, a chambered rotor rotatably mounted in the block, the block having` diametrically opposed cylinder lobes and diametrically opposed abutments coacting with the rotor to separate the lobes, a plurality of vanes radially reciprocable in said rotor, and rockers pivotally mounted within said rotor in each space between adjacent pairs of vanes, said rockers coacting with the vanes on each side thereof whereby each vane is constantly in driving engagement with a rocker.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a block having inlet and outlet passages, a cham-v bered rotor rotatably mounted in the block, the

lblock having cylinder lobes and abutments coacting with the rotor to separate the lobes, a plurality of vanes radially reciprocable in said rotor, and rockers pivotally mounted within said rotor in each space between adjacent pairs of vanes, said rockers coacting with the vanes on each side thereof whereby each vane is constantly in driving engagement with a rocker.

HORACE E. MCKIBBEN. BENJAMIN 1. NEWTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 230,907 Thibalt et al. Aug. 10, 1880 '1,303,745 Vogan May 13, 1919 2,345,561 Allen Apr. 4, 1944 2,382,259 Rohr Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country l Date 858 Great Britain 1904 16,130 Great Britain 1912 75,269 Switzerland July 2, 1917 418,554 Germany Sept. 9, 1925 499,923 France Dec. 2, 1919 

